HOMA x SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability and affordability are well-embedded in HOMA’s DNA. We believe that a better living experience begins with embedding the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in our complexes as much as possible. From energy conservation and water reduction to sustainable agriculture, we want it all. That is why our property, HOMA Phuket Town, is expected to be the first co-living complex in Phuket Town to achieve the LEED Silver Certification and EDGE Advanced Certification.
In addition, we have decided to target the LEED Gold and EDGE Advanced for our second project in Phuket, HOMA Cherngtalay. And we are also currently in the process of acquiring the EDGE certification for HOMA Si Racha as we speak.
For you to better understand how crazy we are about sustainability, it’s good to know what the LEED and EDGE certifications represent. Let’s get to it.
What are LEED and EDGE certifications?
LEED Certification
LEED is a green building certification program established by the US Green Building Council and is considered the global gold standard of building certifications. The program considers all aspects of the building into consideration that includes energy efficiency, water-saving initiatives, to other practices that accommodate human and environmental health.
Here’s an infographic to help you understand a better view of the LEED Certificate criteria;
LEED Certificate Criteria
Now that you have a clearer picture in mind, it’s important to note that LEED also focuses on the materials used during the building process ensuring that sustainable construction practices are used. This is usually done through adopting recycling waste materials, reducing noise pollution, as well as minimizing dust particles.
Along with other famous buildings worldwide (TAIPEI 101, The Crystal London, and the Facebook HQ to name a few), HOMA Phuket Town is a LEED Silver Certified building and is committed to becoming a Leader in Energy and Environmental Design with water-saving initiatives, efficient energy usage, and many more sustainable building practices.
EDGE Certification
EDGE is another standard green building certification established by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) that mainly focuses on a building’s energy performance. It is the next generation of environmental building certificate standards, incorporating a design tool to prove the financial case for constructing green buildings.
EDGE Standard Criteria
Source: Kenya Green Building Society
To receive this certification, the property must meet the criteria for Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies which is calculated by measuring carbon footprint, water and energy consumption levels, as well as embodied carbon. This is usually done through resource-efficient building designs combined with energy-saving procedures. Once the sustainability practices are in place, EDGE will assess and analyze the building’s efficiency rate and compare them to the standard building within the same region.
We’re proud to announce that for HOMA Phuket Town, our living complexes are 43% more energy-efficient and 53% more water-efficient than the standard building in Thailand. Thanks to our resource-efficient design and energy-saving practices, HOMA Phuket Town has successfully acquired the EDGE Advanced Certification.
HOMA’s sustainability practices;
At HOMA, all our guests and team members help contribute to reducing carbon footprint through energy and water conservation, recycling, as well as community farming.
Let’s have a closer look at each one of our practices;
Energy-efficiency initiatives
As mentioned above, HOMA Phuket Town is 43% more energy-efficient than the average building in Thailand. This is done through energy-saving practices such as using LED lights complex-wide and installing low-emissivity windows that reduce the amount of heat transmitted through windows by 35%.
Additionally, our co-living complex just got a whole lot greener as we installed over 240 kWp of solar panels on top of our buildings. Not only do the panels help us generate around 1,000 kWh of renewable energy per day, but it significantly reduces our reliance on fossil fuels.
On top of the aforementioned, our housekeeping team makes sure that all appliances are switched off in unoccupied rooms. The RFID card receivers that are installed in every room also contribute to the reduction of our energy consumption as it encourages guests to turn off the power while away. These practices help saves up to 80Kwh of energy per room each month.
Water conservation
At HOMA, water conservation is a top priority. Our building C rooftop acts as a reservoir for the entire complex by collecting up to 1,600 sqm of rainwater. Once gathered, the water then goes through a filtration system and is reused in all low-flush toilets and water the plants throughout the facility.
Moreover, unlike many hotels and apartments in Thailand, our staff opts to change bedsheets and towels every 3 days instead of every day in an effort to save water.
On top of this, all our sinks operate with aeration technology that helps reduce 60% water consumption from faucets while all our toilets have a dual flush system; a small flush is 3 liters and a big standard flush is 6 liters. These practices alone contribute to a whopping 53% of water-reduction efficiency when compared to the standard building of the same dimensions in Thailand. That's why we're able to provide free water, both drinking and usage, for all our guests.
Eco-friendly practices
Of the seven billion tonnes of plastic waste generated globally, less than 10% has been recycled. At HOMA, we provide in-room recycling bins, free water refill stations, and paperless contracts for all our guests to encourage a zero-waste policy without any extra effort.
Besides recycling, our housekeeping team operates with eco-friendly cleaning solutions that are all certified by the Environmental Protection Agency and the European Union as sustainable products.
Better air quality by design
Our open-air lobby, connected with the design and orientation of the three buildings naturally creates a venturi (wind tunnel) effect in between the structures. This helps maintain the wind flow throughout the entire complex stabilizing the temperature of the exterior surface, keeping the buildings naturally circulated, and automatically lowering the energy requirement necessary to cool the building.
Additionally, we make sure that windows are open at both ends of every hallway to ensure that all rooms and common areas are properly ventilated. This design feature naturally improves the air quality in every unit by replacing old air with a fresh batch every 4 hours in common areas and every 12 hours in each room.
Sustainable agriculture
At HOMA, we have a community garden that is tended to by our team and have future plans to increase additional garden space for our guests to nurture as well. This is in line with our efforts to promote sustainable agriculture by decreasing food transportation costs and reducing water runoff. Humans, plants, and animals all benefit from this concept as it creates natural habitats and improves the ecology of the area.
With every sustainable practice coming to fruition, HOMA Phuket Town will help reduce around 325 tonnes of CO2-equivalent (tCO2e) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per year. This equals having approximately 5,370 new tree seedlings grown over 10 years or taking around 71 cars off the road annually.
It's time for you to contribute to a better society. Go green with us!